| "A Not-So-Brief History on the Origins and Folklore of Halloween" |
Over two thousand years ago the Celtic people celebrated a holiday called Samhain (pronounced: Sah-ween).
This was a much revered and religious day because it was the end of the Celtic calendar and thought on this day
the souls of the people who had passed on throughout the year were gathered by the God of the dead and brought
to the otherworld. But before they were gathered they were allowed to walk amongst the living, even visit family
and friends. Many different beliefs are entailed here. Many dressed in masks and clothing to mimic the dead,
some did it to ward off the evil spirits, some to honor the dead, others did it in hopes of coursing an unsuspecting
person out of the offerings they had left out for the dead. Some of these people were very clever tricksters for
lack of a better word, and played pranks on friends and neighbors who had possibly irritated them previously.
Well, I’m sure one can imagine the superstitions that were spawned from such a chaotic night. Bon fires were lit
to help guide the spirits to their final destinations and also to keep unfriendly ghosts at bay. Religious ceremonies
were carried out by priestly Druids; Scholars and teachers that were highly honored amongst the Celtic peoples
as spiritual leaders, and even political figureheads.
But the day and night was not just about honoring the dead, it was also a celebration of the year harvest. Huge
tables were set with all the goods people could afford to offer after stowing away the supplies for the New Year.
Eating, drinking, dancing, and prayers were not only fun but were also offerings to the gods for a plentiful harvest
in the coming year. They offered many foods and drinks to the god Baal, their sun god, in hopes he would allow
their crops to grow high and bountiful in the years to come. And yes, there were some animal sacrifices as a part
of the religious goings on.
In the beginning of the first millennia A.D. Christian missionaries had begun to show up in the Celtic lands, and of
course began to firmly suggest the Celtic people convert from their heathen Pagan ways to Christianity. The
Druids were poetic, wise, and the missionaries matches in every way which was not a good thing to be at that
time. So they were labeled witches and driven out or hunted down and executed if they refused to convert. And
after many years of manipulation, torture, threats and executions, the once ‘Demonic’ Celtic people were for the
most part converted to Christianity. The Celtic deities diminished becoming fairies, or leprechauns. But on that
most unholy of nights, still, the bon fires were lit, the masks were worn, the offerings placed, the tables set and
the prayers spoken. The missionaries could not take this day from them no matter what they tried.
In 601 A.D. Pope Gregory the 1st began teaching that instead of completely obliterating native people beliefs and
customs they should consecrate everything of theirs to Christ, and then continue to let them celebrate it in a
more Christian fashion. The Christians had wanted to name a day after every Saint, but there were more Saints
than days in the year, so they conveniently named Nov. 1st “All Saints Day”A.K.A. “All Hollows Day” (Hollows
meaning sanctified or holy.) A feast held in memory of their Saints was held but most say it was an attempt to
overshadow the pagan holiday. Still, the celebration of the dead undermined the Christian holiday year after
year.
In the ninth century they again tried to supplant the evil night by naming Nov. 2nd “All Souls Day.” A day to
remember and pray for the dead in a more contemporary way. Oct. 31st remained the day and night that the
once Celtic people continued to celebrate the harvest and still believed to be the day of the dead travels. That
was now known as “Hollows Eve”, which throughout years of slang became “Halloween”. The amount of respect
for the dead had dwindled however and the ghosts were now looked at as evil. So the offerings were no longer a
kind gesture of sustenance for their journey, but a bribe to keep the spirits from assailing them.
Trick or treating is from many different places for many different things, as I’d mentioned before some did it to
trick people out of their offerings to the dead, this was called “Mumming.” In old England they would go “A
Soulin,” going door to door offering prayers for the dead in exchange for small cakes (soul cakes.) Bon fire
night, a night in commemoration of Guy Fawkes’s attempt to blow up Parliament, the rowdy children would wear
Fawkes masks and beg for pennies from the celebrators. I’m sure there are others, the history rich and
interesting in every way. I strongly recommend doing some research.
A “Jack O’ Lantern” is British from the 17th century, meaning “man with a lantern” or night watchman. Also a
nickname for Ignis Fattus (fools fire) or “will o’ the wisp”, the curious phenomenon of lights seen over wetlands,
said to be fairies and ghosts. It became a term used for a turnip lantern, a common practice in Britain. People
would carve out a turnip to represent the faces of the dead that were stuck in purgatory. Tricksters would also
use the lanterns to frighten unsuspecting night time travelers. The legend goes that it was named after a
reprobate Irishman called Stingy Jack.
Stingy Jack had tricked the devil into promising he would never go to hell for his sins and upon death found the
gates to heaven barred. After a very long time of begging for admittance he found his way down to hell only to
find that the devil had kept his promise. Jack was now doomed to walk the Earth for eternity with nothing but a
ember of hellfire to light his way.
The Jack’o’lantern became a pumpkin when the Irish immigrants came to America, and was not a standard until
the 1800’s.
Bobbing for apples has more significance than you might think. It was said that once you captured an apple with
your mouth you were to delicately peel it in one continuous motion, wrap the peel around your head three times
and let it drop. When it hit the floor it would be in the shape of your true loves first initial. The involvement of
the apple on Halloween was supposedly from a celebration thrown in honor of the fruit, trees and garden
Goddess, Pamona. I believe this derived from the Greek, but do not quote me. The Christians most certainly
were not the only ones that named other peoples sacred holidays as their own.
Witches were Alchemists originally. Having a vast knowledge of science, plants, minerals, the human body and a
flare for dramatics that was only passed on to family members or VERY close friends, which is where the word
“Occult” comes from meaning “Hidden”. No one knew their secrets outside of their home.
This also brings brooms and cauldrons into the picture. The cauldrons were used by the Alchemists to make
medicine and cook food for the congregation attending the ritual. The brooms were brought to meetings in the
woods where the alchemists would dance to appease the sun god in hopes for blessed crops, they would jump in
these dances, the higher they jumped, the higher their crops were supposed to grow, so of course they wanted to
be Michael Jordan and actually used the brooms to catapult themselves into the air. So, your walking through the
woods, you hear a commotion, you peek through the brush, and what do you see?
"AAAAHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA! I’ll get you and your little dog too!” The brooms were
initially brought to clean up after the rituals. And witched were seldom ugly, quite the opposite in fact. Most
were beautiful and seducing and I’m sure the ugliness was spun into it by an envious woman telling her children an
old wivestale.
Goblins were REAL! They were a vertically challenged dark skinned people who inhabited the lands and lived in
small dome shaped huts (much like a Hobbit) before the Celtics invaded and conquered them with their superior
steel. They wore green clothes to blend in with the forests and were known to steal the Celtic children to
sacrifice to their gods. The French named them Goblin meaning “Small People”. I have seen one, but did not
know what I saw until researching this, the implications are amazing.
There are SO many different cultures and nations that have contributed to the customs we now know as
Halloween that the research could literally take YEARS. Much of it is controversial, but it boils down to the
Druids, and the Irish. Many adopted these traditions, and many are terrified of them. Just know this, on Hollows
Eve, respect the dead, and pray for good fortune in the coming year. And when you see a REALLY GREAT
costume, stop, and wonder, is it really a costume? HAPPY HOLLOWEEN!!!!!!
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
Brownie and the three bears, David Emery, Jack Santino, W.H Davenport Adams, and me, Travis Graham